Wallpaper Stencil LOVE

Well my sweet husband finished the LR wallpaper stenciling this weekend!! The stencil was roughly 17 x 20 inches & it took 3 days of painting. (RL stencil from here )

He says the worst part about it was having to wash out the stencil between every few applications of the stencil. We used a latex paint: Sherwin Williams 'Ancestral Gold' recommended by Maria from Colour Me Happy & the color coudn't be more perfect!! (a pale goldy-green- awesome with the sofa- Thank you Maria!!! :) He didn't use a stencil brush & we just went with a Home Depot cheapie about 2-3 inches wide. The application isn't even & is just what I was looking for. (perfect imperfection!!)

Here's what our living room looked like before:

And here it is after the stenciling:

(A clear glass floor lamp is on its way to the right of the fireplace to balance out the chandelier & we're adding a custom mirror in the fireplace box.) It's hard to see in the far away photos because of the light coming in through the windows, but there is a sort of grid-like pattern where the stencil applications meet. I've been going around by hand to fill in these areas (this will also take FOREVER) but it's worth it because it makes it look continuous.

It reminds me a little of my grandparents' wallpaper (where I lived growing up) and looking at it just gives me this feeling of "home." I seriously teared up when Dave finished it. (ha pregnancy! ;) It looks like a timeworn wallpaper & I couldn't be happier. It really warmed up the room & made that huge high wall feel smaller.

Now my dilemma is this: I don't think I can cover it up with my 30 Leonardo Da Vinci sketches!! (At least not right away because I just want to gaze at it lovingly.. not kidding.) But I already ordered them... SO now I think I'm going for a CRAZY gallery entry with them going all the way up the 3 walls in the entryway. Any thoughts??? Should I put them in the living room or entry? If I put them in the entry, what your thoughts on the living room? Should I put the black window-like mirrors back? (in above before pic-- they're very loft-like & strong.) Just keep it empty & lean whichever mirror and/ or art I feel like at any given time? (below) Do you think it feels too empty as it is now? (This is tough because it feels "emptier" in photos than in person because the wallpaper stencil stands out much more in person...)

Ok, would love your thoughts & ideas. And one last pic of my chemistry beakers!! (In case you didn't read the comments in a previous post, I had to laugh so hard when Terri of WindLost said she loved everything in the room except for the chemistry beakers because she's a scientist. hahaha Yes, I have to agree that I wouldn't feel the same way about them had I her job!!)

Looking back over the weekend stenciling project: YES, I almost told my husband to quit after it took an hour and a half to do the first 3 stencils. He was a serious trooper & just kept going & going but I KNOW I wouldn't have done it myself. I don't have the patience. IF you have an insane stash of patience, it's a project worth doing, but I agree with many of the comments in my last post that wallpaper doesn't seem nearly as expensive now. He's moving onto the foyer this weekend & that will be rough on a ladder the whole time but I'll post when we have pics!

xoxo,

lauren

ps- Head over to Velvet & Linen to vote for which readers' rooms you think deserve the GORGEOUS brickmaker's coffee table!!! I took part in the selection of the finalists & I cannot tell you how many beautiful well-designed rooms were sent in!! It was SO tough- bloggers & readers are so talented!!!

xoxo